Harry Potter and the Hall of Echoes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11

It was strange to think there were only three days left in the Summer Program, though the teachers at Dartford showed no signs of letting up.

Professor Honeywell had set them an essay on the Internal Energies of animals, and even Professor Banjeev had asked them to 'demonstrate an acquired affinity with a magical creature'. Banjeev's final task would have been easy if Hedwig was around, but instead Harry was forced to borrow Scabbers, who promptly bit him on the finger during his presentation.

There was one class which had been quite easy compared to the rest, but it was easy for a reason that was a little disappointing. 'Light Forces' was supposed to be taught by Headmaster Hopkins, but these lessons, for whatever reason, had never actually happened. Every time Harry, Ron and Hermione had looked at their Finders expectantly, the words 'Light Forces - cancelled' had flashed up before the start of the period.

'What do we have?' Harry asked, after their class with Professor Honeywell.

'We've got Light Forces,' replied Ron, which they both understood to mean free time. 'I might go play some Quidditch,' he sighed. 'Train up for that "All Stars" match, I guess. You know, I just can't be bothered with all these essays... if I have to write one more bloody word about how doorknobs can become parakeets, I swear I'm going to —'

'Light Forces!' said Hermione.

Ron stared at her. 'I know, that's what I said.'

'No, I mean, it's on,' Hermione explained. 'It's not cancelled!'

'What?' said Harry. 'Really?'

If the class was on, Harry would get his chance to talk to Headmaster Hopkins — to ask him about that night in the dark hallway.

As Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way through the sunlit halls of the castle, they came across a tall, dark-haired boy who seemed very lost and confused.

'Oh, hi, Blake!' Hermione said.

'Erm, hello,' Blake replied cagily. 'I'm sorry — who are you?'

Hermione stared at him. 'It's Hermione,' she said.

Blake looked Hermione up and down, then he proceeded to shake his head from side to side in a drowsy sort of way. 'I — er —' he frowned. 'Hmm. You know, this might sound a bit strange, but there's something very familiar about the two of you —'

'Three of us, you mean?' Ron said.

'Three?' Blake said to him.

Then he coughed all of a sudden, which made an eerie echo in the hallway.

'Blake... are you all right?' Harry asked.

It became clear very soon that Blake was not all right — he began swaying around like a drunken sailor, and his arms were limp like jelly.

'Harry...' Ron said. He pointed straight ahead of them. 'This is that hallway, remember? Where we found Headmaster Hopkins?'

There was a sudden, loud THUD! — Blake had crumpled to the floor.

'Blake!' Hermione wailed, as she rushed to his side. 'Oh, he doesn't look good, does he? Ron — can you go and fetch someone?'

'Me?' said Ron. Then noticing at the look of urgency on Hermione's face, he said, 'All right, all right... I'll go...'

But not a moment later, a pair of footsteps came from around the corner. It was the tall, thin figure of Professor Honeywell: she noticed Blake lying on the ground, and immediately rushed over.

'What happened?' she asked them.

'I — I don't know,' said Hermione worriedly. 'We were just going to our class, and Blake was here... we were talking to him, and he just — fell over...'

Honeywell seemed very concerned. 'What did he say to you?' she said. 'What did he tell you?'

'Tell us?' said Hermione. 'I — well, he didn't really say very much, I guess... except I don't think he knew who we were.'

Honeywell took a moment to process this information. 'You,' she said to Harry. 'Go straight to Headmaster Hopkins' office, and tell him that we're taking his son to the infirmary. You two,' she said to Ron and Hermione, 'help me get him up.'

Harry watched as Honeywell began conjuring a wooden stretcher, but she pointed urgently at him, and said, 'GO!'

Heart thumping in his chest, Harry began running down the hallway; he ran and ran, as fast as he could... It was only when he'd made a couple of turns that he realised something — he didn't actually know how to get to Hopkins' office.

Annoyed at himself, Harry quickly turned back, and soon enough he'd reached the hallway again.

He was about to ask Professor Honeywell how to get there, but there was something very off about the scene he was faced with... Honeywell was currently leaning over the body of Blake, who was lying suspended on the stretcher, and her hands were placed on his forehead...

'Oh, dear,' said Honeywell, looking up from Blake's body, and towards Harry. 'Dear, dear me...'

A chill went down Harry's spine as he finally noticed what was missing: Ron and Hermione were no longer there.

The door at the end of the hallway was currently open, and there was an odd, purple light that seemed to emanate from the inside.

'I'm sorry about this,' Honeywell said to Harry. 'But I suppose this was going to happen either way.'

Harry saw Honeywell flick her wrist — and then all he saw was black.